Taking Up Space

Body image issues affect so many of us, and it can feel particularly acute in the middle school years, when our bodies are undergoing so much change. Though it’s been decades, I palpably remember how strange my growth spurt felt from the inside and how it changed my confidence.

In Alyson Gerber’s excellent book, Sarah is used to excelling on the basketball court, but when the shots stop falling, she’s quick to blame her changing physique and takes matters into her own hands to rectify things by drastically altering her eating habits.

Gerber handles this material with empathy and compassion,… show more.

Body image and eating disorders are complex subjects that a lot of parents wait too long to think about, let alone talk to their kids about. I love how this beautiful story shows that grownups are figuring things out, too-- that parents aren’t perfect nor do they have to be for kids to grow and change. I look forward to reading this one with my kids so that we can have the language to talk more openly about our relationships with food and our feelings about our bodies. It’s more important than ever to call attention to diet culture and… show more.

Alyson Gerber nails the emotional, physical, and interpersonal aspects of sports in this story about twelve-year-old Sarah, who feels best about herself when she’s playing basketball until her body starts changing and she can’t play as well as she used to. With wisdom and compassion, Gerber shows how Sarah’s desperate desire to regain her basketball skills leads to a struggle with disordered eating. Taking Up Space opens important conversations about diet culture and self-esteem, and I love the way it explores what happens when puberty interferes with an athlete’s ability to perform. The basketball scenes are fast-paced and engaging, and… show more.